What it's like to live in Wildomar
Wildomar is a small city in California with household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Wildomar deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, and long average commutes.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment
- Long commutes
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
How Wildomar compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Wildomar
Based on Wildomar's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,006
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $80,120 a year
- 47% of Wildomar renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$110,480
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $55,240
- Homes cost 5.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 42% above US
$2,003/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,003 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $552,400. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $552,400 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 33% above US
5.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.7%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 62% below US
127 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 981/100k · Wildomar Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 48% above US
38 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 38.4 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 95°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 42°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 41% below US
21% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 21%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 7 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 24:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (18 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Wildomar's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,003/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, anyone moving without a job lined up, and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Wildomar
All California guides →Moving to Canyon Lake →
5 mi away · pop. 11,119
Rent $2,608/mo · Income $126,926
Compare with Wildomar →Moving to Lakeland Village →
5 mi away · pop. 12,236
Rent $1,858/mo · Income $85,748
Compare with Wildomar →Not sure Wildomar is the one?
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